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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

NO FLUKE: Arizona GOP Delegation Again Votes As Block Against Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill; Delegation's Amendments Not Voted On

Arizona's four Republican Congresspeople all voted against the second Hurricane Sandy relief package last night, proving that their January 4 block vote against the first installment was no fluke.

Two of Arizona's Republicans issued statements about their votes last night. Rep. David Schweikert (R-CD6) said: “Sadly, as happens so often in Washington, the debate surrounding Sandy disaster relief funding was misleading at best and rhetorically false at worst.

“This $50.7 billion bill was packed with pork and pet projects unrelated to disaster spending without the foresight necessary to determine how we could begin to pay for this new spending.

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-CD4) echoed the pork line: "“I strongly support rebuilding our communities after natural disasters, and I am more than willing to support the people and businesses impacted by Hurricane Sandy, but that would not take over $50 billion taxpayer dollars. I refuse to vote for a bill stuffed with pork but sold as aid for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. We owe it to the taxpayers.”
Both Gosar and Schweikert had proposed amendments to the relief bill; neither made it through the Rules Committee and got to the floor. Gosar had pitched a Rand Paul proposal to lift Davis-Bacon Act restrictions on the relief spending, and Schweikert offered an amendment to have the Treasury Department look into issuing longgggg-term (70-99 years) bonds to finance the relief spending.We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.